family meals – Page 5 – My Whisk and I

Brown Rice Salad

November 11, 2023October 27, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml brown rice, cooked according to packet instructions
1 red onion, finely diced
400g cocktail tomatoes, quartered
120g mozzarella cheese, cubed
30g coriander leaves, chopped
30ml pumpkin seeds
30ml sunflower seeds

Dressing:
60ml olive oil
30ml thick, sweet soya sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced

Add the cooked and cooled rice to a large mixing bowl.
Now add the diced onion, tomato and mozzarella and give it a good mix.
Sprinkle over the coriander, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds and stir through. Set aside.

For the dressing:
Pour the olive oil and soya sauce into a cup and add the garlic.
Whisk the dressing with a fork until it is amalgamated.
Drizzle over the brown rice salad and give everything a very good mix.
Serve the salad at room temperature.

Uncategorized

Sweet Potato Slices

November 5, 2023October 8, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

3 large sweet potatoes
125ml vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
250ml sour cream
100g feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat your oven to 160℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Wash the sweet potatoes with their skin on and cut them in 0,5cm slices.
Boil the slices in water until just cooked. Drain and dry the slices with a clean kitchen towel.
Spread the sweet potato on the prepared baking sheet.
Add the vegetable oil and garlic to a small bowl and mix together.
Brush the slices with the garlic mixture, season with salt and flip them over. Brush again and season with salt.
Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
Add the sour cream to a small bowl and crumble the feta over. Mix through.
Serve the sweet potato slices warm with a generous dollop of sour cream and feta on top.

Uncategorized

Pasta Risottata (Orzo Risotto)

November 4, 2023October 26, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml olive oil
300g smoked bacon, cut into small pieces
1 clove of garlic, minced
150g frozen petits pois (peas)
250g orzo pasta
20g butter, cubed
40g parmesan cheese, grated

Place a large heavy-based pan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil to it.
Add the bacon pieces and cook until they are browned and crispy.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the peas and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
Now add the orzo and stir-fry it for a minute or so until it is mixed with the bacon and peas.
Pour 625ml of boiling water into the pan, add a pinch of salt and turn the heat down to a simmer.
Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the pan.
Taste the orzo; if it is not yet soft, add a little more water and continue cooking until al dente.
Add the butter and grated parmesan and stir through.
Taste again and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.

Leftovers make a great salad the next day when you add some good mayonnaise and chopped parsley!

Uncategorized

Garlic Potato Puffins

October 29, 2023September 27, 2023by Karen Claassen1 Comment

750ml mashed potato, cold
30g + 150g butter, melted
150g flavoured cream cheese, room temperature
180ml + 180ml grated, mature cheddar cheese
3 eggs
30ml grated parmesan cheese
15ml + 15ml chopped chives
5ml garlic flakes
5ml salt
250ml sour cream

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and brush a 12-hole muffin tin with the 30g melted butter.
Add the mashed potato, 150g melted butter and cream cheese to a mixing bowl and mix together until the ingredients are well distributed.
Add 180ml cheddar, eggs, parmesan, 15ml chives, garlic flakes and salt and mix together.
Divide the mixture between the muffin cups and sprinkle the remaining 180ml cheddar over.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
Remove the baking tin from the oven and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes.
Run a small knife around the edges of each cup and gently lift out the puffins.
Scoop a dollop of sour cream onto each potato puffin and scatter the 15ml chives over to serve.

Uncategorized

Vegetable Bake

October 24, 2023September 25, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

3 eggs
60ml + 60ml greek yoghurt
150ml vegetable oil
500ml flour
5ml baking powder
5ml smoked paprika
2,5ml white pepper
5ml salt
250ml grated mozzarella cheese
250ml crumbed feta cheese
250ml grated zucchini
125ml grated carrot
2 spring onions, sliced
30ml chopped parsley
45ml dried breadcrumbs
15ml sesame seeds

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a ceramic dish of about 28cm x 20cm with cooking spray.
Add the eggs, 60ml yoghurt and vegetable oil to a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
Add the flour, baking powder, paprika, pepper and salt.
Add the mozzarella, feta, zucchini, carrot, spring onion and parsley and mix through to a very stiff batter.
Mix the dried breadcrumbs and sesame seeds in a small bowl.
Spoon the batter into the prepared baking dish and scatter over the breadcrumb mixture.
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
Serve the vegetable bake with the remaining yoghurt drizzled over.

Uncategorized

Simple Chicken on Rice

October 16, 2023September 14, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
60ml vegetable oil
5ml salt
375ml chicken stock, warmed
310ml boiling water
45ml butter, cubed
375ml long grain white rice

60ml vegetable oil
20ml brown sugar
30ml chicken spice
10ml onion seeds
10ml dried French tarragon
about 12 mixed chicken portions, skin on

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 28cm x 35cm ovenproof dish with cooking spray.
Add the onion, garlic, vegetable oil, salt, chicken stock, water and butter to the baking dish and stir through until the butter has melted.
Add the rice and mix through.
Pour the oil into a large mixing bowl.
Add the brown sugar, chicken spice, onion seeds and tarragon and stir to mix.
Add the chicken to the bowl and mix through with your hands until each piece of chicken is covered in the mixture.
Now arrange the chicken on top of the rice and cover the baking dish with aluminium foil.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for another 40minutes.
Serve warm with a crisp salad on the side.

Uncategorized

Honey-Mustard Smashed Potato

October 9, 2023September 14, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

700g – 1kg small potatoes
45ml olive oil
60ml mayonnaise
60ml wholegrain mustard
30ml honey
5ml white wine vinegar

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spray an oven tray with cooking spray.
Cook the potatoes until just done, but fully cooked.
Add the mayonnaise, wholegrain mustard, honey and white wine vinegar to a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
Smash each potato down with a flat-bottom coffee mug and place them in the oven tray.
Drizzle the olive oil over and season with salt.
Spoon half the honey-mustard dressing on to the potatoes.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
Flip the potatoes over, spoon the rest of the dressing over and bake for another 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Uncategorized

20-Minute Tuna Spaghetti

September 25, 2023September 7, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250g spaghetti
45ml olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 spring onion, finely sliced
2 tins of shredded tuna, drained
1 lemon, zest and juice
125ml sour cream
30ml capers, roughly chopped
30ml chopped parsley
15ml chopped chives
parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
Drain the pasta and keep it in the pot too stay warm.
Place a large pan over medium heat, add the oil and wait for it to heat up.
Add the garlic and spring onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Now add the tuna, lemon zest and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Pour in the cream and cook for 1 minute.
Add the spaghetti, capers, parsley and chives and stir until the spaghetti is well coated in the sauce.
Grate over a generous amount of parmesan cheese and stir through.
Now grate over some more parmesan, stir again and serve.

Uncategorized

Salad Lyonnaise

September 23, 2023September 1, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is true French bistro style – a delicious warm bacon and egg salad!!
Serves two.

30ml olive oil
200g smoked bacon, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 slices sourdough bread, cubed
four handfuls of frisée salad leaves
half an onion, sliced into rings
15ml vinegar
2/4 eggs

Dressing:
half an onion, very finely diced
15ml red wine vinegar
15ml Dijon mustard
45ml olive oil

Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and bacon to it.
Cook until the bacon is crisp.
Scoop the bacon out but leave as much of the rendered fat in the pan.
Add the garlic and cubed sourdough and toss in the bacon fat.
Turn the heat to low and fry for about 5 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Remove from the pan.

For the dressing:
Add the diced onion, vinegar, mustard and 15ml cold water to a small bowl and whisk together.
Gradually add the olive oil, whisking all the time until you have a thick dressing.
Taste the dressing and season with salt.

Now, add the bacon, croutons, sliced onion and salad leaves to a mixing bowl.
Drizzle half of the dressing over and toss together.
Pile the salad onto 2 plates.

Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle boil and add the 15ml vinegar.
Crack the eggs into small bowls and gently lower into the water.
Poach the eggs for 3 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and place on top of the salad.
Drizzle the leftover dressing over the egg and salad and serve immediately.

Uncategorized

Pork Sausages with Onion Gravy

September 22, 2023September 1, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

8 – 16 pork sausages
15ml + 45ml vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
3 leeks, washed and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
45ml flour
500ml beef stock
1,2ml salt
black pepper

Place a large saucepan/pan over medium-high heat and pour in the vegetable oil.
Add the sausages and cook until browned. Turn them every now and then to get an even golden colour. Cook for 10 minutes or so.
Remove the sausages from the pan and lower the heat to medium.
Add the onion and leek and cook for about 5 minutes or until soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Spread the onion and leek out in the pan and sprinkle the flour over.
Stir and cook for about 2 minutes to cook out the flour.
Add 60ml of the stock to the pan and stir.
Add another 60ml, keep stirring and wait for it to become more saucy.
Slowly drizzle in the rest of the stock while stirring – if you pour it all in at once the sauce will be lumpy.
Simmer the gravy until it thickens. It won’t look as thick as you will want it to be but it will thicken more, later on.
Add the salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Place the sausages back in the pan and heat through on a low heat for between 5 and 10 minutes.
Serve the sausages on potato mash and slosh it with the gravy.